RPAGF Chapter 321 Ling Jiawei Proposes Marriage
Chapter 321 Ling Jiawei Proposes Marriage
Since things have come to this point, it's better to talk things out; it'll be better for everyone.
After Ling Jiawei left, Xiangxiu dismissed the servants and waved to him.
"Xiangxiu, come to my side, I have a few questions to ask you."
Xiangxiu hesitated for a moment, then stood up from the ground, dragged her feet to her side, and curtsied, saying:
"Your Majesty, I cannot marry Brother Ling..."
Is it because of that incident many years ago?
Recalling the past, Xiangxiu's eyes reddened.
That incident has always been a hurdle in her heart, an insurmountable obstacle.
She nodded slightly. "Mm."
Lan Zhi sighed softly and continued to ask:
"If Ling Jiawei didn't care, or didn't mind, would you be willing to marry him?"
After thinking for a moment, Xiangxiu shook her head.
“No man would be indifferent to such a thing. He may not care now, but he will in the future. I don’t want to ruin him and me because of this. Your Majesty, please don’t try to persuade me. I will never marry and will stay by your side to take care of you forever.”
"But we can all see how much your brother loves you. Besides, he's not a fool. If you're with him, he won't hold this against you."
Xiangxiu shook her head again.
"I have already decided that I will never marry and will stay by your side to take care of you, unless... unless you don't want me anymore."
Seeing Xiangxiu's reddened eyes, Lanzhi tenderly patted her shoulder and smiled gently.
"Silly girl, how could I not want you? No matter what, you will always be my best sister. Since you insist on this, I know what to do."
Xiangxiu looked up at her and nodded heavily.
"Your Majesty has gone to great lengths."
Ling Jiawei, who was waiting outside, was extremely anxious and paced back and forth.
Ah Qi looked at him and helplessly advised:
"Brother Ling, take a break. You've been walking around here so much that I'm getting dizzy."
Ling Jiawei stopped and looked at her with pleading eyes.
"Ah Qi, why do you think Xiangxiu doesn't want to marry me? I don't think she dislikes me. She's happy when we're together, but why does she either cry or shake her head when I mention marrying her?"
Ah Qi shrugged helplessly and shook his head, saying:
"I really don't know. This girl can say whatever she wants normally, but when it comes to matters of the heart, she just shuts up. I don't know what she's thinking."
"I know……"
Lan Zhi, who had just come out, looked at Ling Jiawei.
"Brother, come in with me for a moment, I have a few words to say to you."
Seeing that Lan Zhi's expression was not good, Ling Jiawei followed behind her with some concern.
Only after entering the main hall did he timidly ask,
"What did Xiangxiu say?"
Lan Zhi paused for a moment, then gently shook her head.
"Xiangxiu doesn't want to get married..."
"Why? She clearly likes me, and we're happy together, so why won't she marry me?"
Seeing Ling Jiawei on the verge of tears, Lan Zhi sighed helplessly.
"Brother, I've known for a long time that you like Xiangxiu, and I also know what she's wary of. I'll tell you about Xiangxiu, but you have to promise that no matter what you think after hearing it, you'll keep it to yourself. Can you do that?"
Her words were so serious that Ling Jiawei realized the gravity of the situation.
He nodded hurriedly, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I, Ling Jiawei, know what to say and what not to say."
Lan Zhi sighed softly before telling Ling Jiawei what had happened to Xiangxiu back then.
Ling Jiawei's brows, which had been relaxed, gradually furrowed into a tight knot.
Only after Lan Zhi finished speaking did he clench his fists and curse angrily.
"These scoundrels deserve to die. If I had known, I should have killed them for Xiangxiu."
“I have already avenged Xiangxiu. Now is not the time to discuss this. Xiangxiu has been traumatized by this. She doesn’t just not want to marry you, she doesn’t want to get married at all.”
It would be a lie to say he didn't care; at that moment, Ling Jiawei felt as if a bolt from the blue had suddenly struck him.
He stood there blankly, muttering to himself:
"Please tell her for me that what I want is her as a person and her future. I don't care about her past or what she has been through. I will spend the rest of my life with her and protect her. If she never marries, I, Ling Jiawei, will never marry. I mean what I say."
After saying those words, he turned and walked away dejectedly.
Hiding behind the screen, Xiangxiu burst into tears. Her body slid down the wall behind her until she sat on the ground, where she began to sob.
Lan Zhi arranged for her to listen here, wanting her to know Ling Jiawei's true thoughts.
Lan Zhi stepped forward, pulled her up, and hugged her, gently comforting her:
"Xiangxiu, you heard what he said. It's your decision!"
Xiangxiu didn't speak, but gritted her teeth and nodded heavily...
At this moment, she didn't know what she really wanted, but it was true that she liked Ling Jiawei. However, she was truly afraid that he would bring up the past again in the future, and if that happened, she would regret it to death.
***
That night, news came from outside the palace that Ling Jiawei had gotten into a fight while drunk and had been imprisoned in Shuntian Prefecture.
This news surprised Lan Zhi quite a bit. Her elder brother had never liked drinking or causing trouble. How could he suddenly do two things that he had never done before?
Xiangxiu stood beside her, twisting the handkerchief in her hands, her heart filled with conflicting emotions.
"Xiangxiu, take my token and go to Shuntian Prefecture to see him. Then tell the Shuntian Prefect to lock him up for three days so he will learn his lesson."
Xiangxiu hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said:
"Yes."
Actually, she also wanted to see Ling Jiawei. She knew that Ling Jiawei's sudden drinking and trouble-making must be because she was in a bad mood.
She had to go and tell him not to do anything foolish again.
When she arrived at Shuntian Prefecture with the Empress's token, the Prefect himself received her.
"Miss Xiangxiu, I was negligent and did not recognize Lord Ling. I will order his release immediately."
Xiangxiu raised an eyebrow and said coldly:
"Her Majesty the Empress has decreed that he be confined for three days to teach him a lesson."
'this……'
The prefect hesitated.
"Is this appropriate? He is the Emperor's elder brother. I fear I might anger the Empress, and I cannot bear the consequences!"
"This is the Empress's decree; we shall comply."
As she spoke, she followed the Prefect into the prison and immediately spotted Ling Jiawei sitting on a wooden bed, lost in thought.
Perhaps it was the sound of a lock being opened, or perhaps it was the beam of light shining near the doorway, but Ling Jiawei, who was already sober, frowned slightly and looked toward the doorway.
When he saw the prefect open the prison door and Xiangxiu walk in carrying a food box, he was immediately embarrassed and ashamed.
"Brother Ling, I heard you've made something of yourself, you can even drink and fight now? You've done a great job, so I've brought you some food and drinks, and some wine too. Come on, keep drinking."